“My goal was to ride a motorcycle around the world – alone.”
So begins Allan Karl’s account of a three-year, 62,000-mile journey through 35 countries around the world. Karl documents his travels in the book, “FORKS: A Quest for Culture, Cuisine and Connection” a project which came to life, in part, thanks to the generous contributions of 546 backers on Kickstarter. It’s part travelogue, part photo essay and part cookbook, with recipes from each of the countries Karl visits, offering a little something for everyone, whether they ride or not.
The notion of a round-the-world ride is hardly new, the first example of which was made more than 100 years ago by Carl Stearns Clancy on a 1912 Henderson motorcycle (a journey chronicled by MotoUSA columnist Dr. Frazier). Karl’s particular situation will speak to many riders and would-be adventurers of this day-and-age however, since it was a more modern personal crisis, or, rather a series of crisis, which compelled him to embark on this journey.
He recounts the struggles of his career in digital marketing, feeling “unchallenged” and “unfulfilled” following his company’s expansion into the hands of a large investment firm. At the same time, Karl’s seven-year marriage started to unravel, heading ultimately to an amicable divorce which sees both he and his former wife take on new projects to help fill the yawning gap where a sense of purpose once lived. This all at a time when our country is reeling from the 9/11 attacks, an incident which caused many to rethink the trajectory of their lives. For Karl, it was a prompt to submit his resignation and seek a more satisfying, purposeful existence.
“I’ve come to a fork,” says Karl in the opening pages of the book. “I need to choose a new direction, change the scenery, so I can continue to learn and grow.”
During this tumultuous period Karl begins to long for more time on his motorcycle, and eventually decides to plan a solo ride around the world. He liquidates nearly all his material belongings to fund the trip and reiterates his sanity to friends and loved ones as he prepares to leave.
